If our soldiers are not overburdened with money, it is not because they have a distaste for riches; if their lives are not unduly long, it is not because they are disinclined to longevity.
The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.
When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.
Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand.
O divine art of subtlety and secrecy! Through you we learn to be invisible, through you inaudible and hence we can hold the enemy's fate in our hands.
The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.
All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.
Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
Therefore the skilful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.